Psalms 40

1 For the end, a Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord; and he attended to me, and listened to my supplication.

“To the chief musician, a psalm of David.” I had waited patiently for the Lord, when he inclined himself unto me, and heard my cry.

2 And he brought me up out of a pit of misery, and from miry clay: and he set my feet on a rock, and ordered my goings aright.

And he brought me up out of the noiseful deep, out of the miry clay, and he set up my feet upon a rock, making firm my steps.

3 And he put a new song into my mouth, [even] a hymn to our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall hope in the Lord.

And he placed in my mouth a new song, a praise unto our God: many will see it, and fear; and they will trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed [is] the man whose hope is in the name of the Lord, and [who] has not regarded vanities and false frenzies.

Happy is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and turneth not unto the proud, nor such as stray aside unto lies.

5 O Lord my God, you have multiplied your wonderful works, and in your thoughts there is none who shall be likened to you: I declared and spoke [of them]: they exceeded number.

Many things hast thou done, O Lord my God; thy wonderful deeds and thy thoughts toward us—there is none to be compared unto thee—will I tell and speak of, [though] they are too numerous to be counted.

6 Sacrifice and offering you would not; but a body have you prepared me: whole burnt offering and [sacrifice] for sin you did not require.

Sacrifice and meat-offering thou desirest not—ears hast thou hollowed out unto me—burnt-offering and sin-offering thou demandest not.

7 Then I said, Behold, I come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning me,

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the roll of the book it is written down for me;

8 I desired to do your will, O my God, and your law in the midst of mine heart.

To fulfill thy will, O my God, do I desire; and thy law is within my heart.

9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation; behold! I will not refrain my lips; O Lord, you know my righteousness.

I announce [thy] righteousness in the great assembly: lo, I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, thou well knowest it.

10 I have not hid your truth within my heart, and I have declared your salvation; I have not hid your mercy and your truth from the great congregation.

Thy righteousness have I never hidden within my heart; thy faithfulness and thy salvation have I spoken of openly: I have not concealed thy kindness and thy truth before the great assembly.

11 But you, Lord, remove not your compassion far from me; your mercy and your truth have helped me continually.

Do thou, O Lord, not withhold thy mercies from me: let thy kindness and thy truth continually watch over me.

12 For innumerable evils have encompassed me; my transgressions have taken hold of me, and I could not see; they are multiplied more than the hairs of my head; and my heart has failed me.

For evils without number have compassed me about; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see: they are more numerous than the hairs of my head; and my courage hath forsaken me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, draw near to help me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, hasten to my help.

14 Let those that seek my soul, to destroy it, be ashamed and confounded together; let those that wish me evil be turned backward and put to shame.

May those be made ashamed and put to the blush together that seek after my soul to take her away: let them be driven backward and be confounded, that wish for my mishap.

15 Let those that say to me, Aha, aha, quickly receive shame for their reward.

May they be astonished in consequence of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha!

16 Let all those that seek you, O Lord, exult and rejoice in you; and let them that love your salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.

[But] may all those that seek thee be glad and rejoice in thee: may they say continually, The Lord be magnified, —those that love thy salvation.

17 But I am poor and needy; the Lord will take care of me; you are my helper, and my defender, O my God, delay not.

But though I be poor and needy, the Lord will think of me: my help and my deliverer art thou: O my God, delay not.